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Volkswagen’s new diesel-powered Golf GTD is designed to combine the spirit of the new GTI with great economy and lower emissions.
In terms of figures this translates to the ability to accelerate to 62 mph in 8.1 seconds and a top speed of 136 mph, with average fuel consumption of 53.3 mpg, CO2 emissions of just 139 g/km and a range in excess of 650 miles on a single tank of fuel.
The GTD has been unveiled at the Leipzig Motor Show and Volkswagen says that lessons learned through the creation of the sixth generation GTI are applied to the new GTD. The car promises sharp responses and an agile chassis to complement the car’s torque which is available from as low as 1,750 rpm.
Powering the new GTD is a 2.0-litre (1,968 cc) common rail TDI engine, producing 170 PS and 258 lbs ft of torque driving through a six-speed manual or automatic DSG gearbox.
With the aim of sharp responses, the suspension is lowered by 15 mm compared to the standard Golf. Volkswagen’s Adaptive Chassis Control system (ACC), featuring pneumatically controlled damper units, can be specified on the GTD. This allows the driver to select from normal, comfort or sport modes to define the desired suspension, steering and accelerator response settings for any particular journey.
As with the entire Golf range, the new GTD features ABS, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) and seven airbags, including for the first time a knee airbag, all standard. The Golf was recently awarded a maximum five-star rating by the EuroNCAP crash testing agency.
UK buyers will be able to order a Golf GTD from the end of April. Prices are yet to be confirmed but will start at under £22,000. The car will go on sale on 22 June – exactly one month after the first GTIs hit UK roads.
